booklets and brochures

your passport to a safe trip abroad

u.s. department of state

consular information program

The Consular Information Program has two categories of information: Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets. Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country.

Consular Information Sheets are available for every country of the world. They include such information as location of the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the subject country, unusual immigration practices, health conditions, political disturbances, unusual currency and entry regulations, crime and security information, and drug penalties. If an unstable condition exists in a country that is not severe enough to warrant a Travel Warning, a description of the condition(s) may be included under an optional section entitled "Areas of Instability." Consular Information Sheets generally do not include advice, but present information factually so the traveler can make his or her own decisions concerning travel to a particular country. Public Announcements are also made for short-term travel problems, such as security or terrorist threats against Americans.

Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warning may be heard anytime by dialing Overseas Citizens Services at (202) 647-5225 from a touch-tone phone. The recording is updated as new information becomes available. They are also available at any of the 13 regional passport agencies, field offices of the U.S. Department of Commerce, and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad, or by writing and sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Overseas Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Room 4811 N.S., U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC 20520. They are also available by Fax at (202) 647-3000, electronically at (202) 647-9925 (modem speeds of 300, 1200, 2400, 9600, or 14400 bps.) or by visiting their Internet Web site at travel.state.gov. The Consular Information Sheets and Travel Warnings are available through the Official Airlines Guide (OAG) on many computer information services, and several computer reservation systems.

If you are looking for more detailed information about a particular foreign country, you might want to send away for "Background Notes." "Background Notes" are published by the State Department's Bureau of Public Affairs and contain current information on the people, culture, geography, history, government, economy, and political conditions for 170 countries and geographic areas around the world. To receive "Background Notes," send $1.00 for each country to:

Background Notes
Supervisor of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, DC 20402